meekness of my disposition? Yet take care-the patience of a saint may be overcome at last!—but mark! I give you six hours and a half to consider of this: if you then agree, without any condition, to do every thing on earth that I chuse, why-confound you! I may in time forgive you-If not, z -ds! don't enter the same hemisphere with me! don't dare to breathe the same air, or use the same light with but get an atmosphere and a sun of your own! I'll strip you of your commission; I'll lodge a fiveand-threepence in the hands of trustees, and you shall live on the interest.-I'll disown you, I'll disinherit you, I'll unget you! and d-n me! if ever I call you Jack again! [Exeunt severally.

me;

SCENE 11.

The North Parade.

Enter LUCY.

Lucy. Sir Lucius is generally more punctual, when he expects to hear from his dear Delia, as he calls her: I wonder he's not here!

Enter SIR LUCIUS O'TRIGGER.

Sir L. Hah! my little embassadress-upon my conscience I have been looking for you; I have been on the South Parade this half hour.

Lucy. [Speaking simply.] O gemini! and I have been waiting for your worship, here on the North.

Sir L. 'Faith!-may be, that was the reason we did not meet; and it is very comical too, how you could go out, and I not see you-for I was only taking a nap, at the Parade coffee-house, and I chose the window, on purpose that I might not miss you.

Lucy. My stars! Now I'd wager a sixpence I went by, while you were asleep.

Sir L. Sure enough it must have been so—and I never dreamt it was so late, till I waked. Well, but my little girl, have you got nothing for me?

Lucy. Yes, but I have—I've got a letter for you in my pocket.

Sir L. O 'faith! I guessed you weren't come emptyhanded—well-let me see what the dear creature

says.

Lucy. There, Sir Lucius.

[Gives him a Letter.

Sir L. [Reads.] Sir-there is often a sudden incentive impulse in love, that has a greater induction than years of domestic combination: such was the commotion I felt at the first superfluous view of Sir Lucius O'Trigger. Very pretty, upon my word! Female punctuation forbids me to say more; yet, let me add, that it will give me joy infallible to find Sir Lucius worthy the last criterion of my affections.

DELIA.

Upon my conscience, Lucy, your lady is a great mistress of language! 'Faith! she's quite the queen of the dictionary!

Lucy. Ay, sir, a lady of her experience.

Sir L. Experience! what, at seventeen ?

Lucy. O, true, sir-but then she reads so-my stars! how she will read off hand!

Sir L. 'Faith, she must be very deep read, to write this way-though she is rather an arbitrary writer, too-for here are a great many poor words pressed into the service of this note, that would get their habeas corpus from any court in Christendom. However, when affection guides the pen, he must be a brute, who finds fault with the style.

Lucy. Ah! Sir Lucius, If you were to hear how she talks of you!

Sir L. Oh, tell her, I'll make her the best husband

in the world, and Lady O'Trigger into the bargain! -But we must get the old gentlewoman's consentand do every thing fairly.

Lucy. Nay, Sir Lucius, I thought you want rich enough to be so nice!

Sir L. Upon my word, young woman, you have hit it-I am so poor, that I can't afford to do a dirty action. If I did not want money, I'd steal your mistress, and her fortune, with a great deal of pleasure. -However my pretty girl, [Gives her Money.] here's a little something, to buy you a ribband; and meet me in the evening, and I will give you an answer to this. So, hussy, take a kiss beforehand, to put you in [Kisses her.

mind.

Lucy. O lud! Sir Lucius-I never seed such a gemman! My lady won't like you if you're so impu

dent.

Sir L. 'Faith she will, Lucy-that same-pho! what's the name of it !-modesty !-is a quality in a lover more praised by the women than liked; so, if your mistress asks you whether Sir Lucius ever gave you a kiss, tell her fifty-my dear.

Lucy. What, would you have me tell her a lie? Sir L. Ah then, you baggage! I'll make it a truth presently.

Lucy. For shame now; here is some one coming. Sir L. O 'faith I'll quiet your conscience!

[Sees FAG.-Exit, humming a Tune.

Enter FAG.

Fag. So, so, ma'am. I humbly beg pardon. Lucy. O lud!-now, Mr. Fag-you flurry one so!

Fag. Come, come, Lucy, here's no one by-so a little less simplicity, with a grain or two more sincerity, if you please-You play false with us, madam-Í saw you give the baronet a letter.-My master shall know this- and if he don't call him out-I will.

Lucy. Ha! ha! ha: you gentlemen's gentlemen are so hasty!That letter was from Mrs. Malaprop, simpleton. She is taken with Sir Lucius's address.

Fag. How! what tastes some people have! Why, I suppose I have walked by her window a hundred times. But what says our young lady?—Any message to my master ?

Lucy. Sad news, Mr. Fag! A worse rival than Acres! Sir Anthony Absolute has proposed his son. Fug. What, Captain Absolute?

Lucy. Even so. I overheard it all.

Fag. Ha! ha! ha! very good, 'faith! Good b'ye, Lucy, I must away with this news.

Lucy. Well, you may laugh, but it is true, I assure you. [Going.] But, Mr. Fag, tell your master not to be cast down by this.

Fag. Oh, he'll be so disconsolate!

Lucy. And charge him, not to think of quarrelling with young Absolute..

Fag. Never fear-never fear.

Lucy. Be sure, bid him keep up his spirits.

Fag. We will-we will.

[Exeunt severally.

ACT THE THIRD,

SCENE I.

The North Parade.

Enter CAPTAIN ABSOLUTE.

Capt. Abs. "Tis just as Fag told me, indeed !— Whimsical enough, 'faith! My father wants to

force me to marry the very girl I am plotting to run away with! He must not know of my connexion with her yet awhile. He has too summary a method of proceeding in these matters, however I'll read my recantation instantly. My conversion is something sudden, indeed; but I can assure him, it is very sincereSo, so, here he comes-he looks plaguy gruff!

[Steps aside.

Enter SIR ANTHONY ABSOLUTE.

Sir Anth. No-I'll die sooner than forgive him! Die, did I say? I'll live these fifty years, to plague him. At our last meeting, his impudence had almost put me out of temper-An obstinate, passionate, self-willed boy! Who can he take after? This is my return for getting him before all his brothers and sisters! for putting him, at twelve years old, into a marching regiment, and allowing him fifty pounds ayear, besides his pay, ever since! But I have done with him-he's any body's son for me-I never will see him more

-never-never-never-never.

Capt. Abs. Now for a penitenţial face!

Sir Anth. Fellow, get out of my way! Capt. Abs. Sir, you see a penitent before you. Sir Anth. I see an impudent scoundrel before me. Capt. Abs. A sincere penitent. I am come, sir, to acknowledge my error, and to submit entirely to your will.

Sir Anth. What's that?

Capt. Abs. I have been revolving, and reflecting, and considering on your past goodness, and kindness, and condescension to me.

Sir Anth. Well, sir?

Capt. Abs. I have been likewise weighing, and balancing, what you were pleased to mention, concerning duty, and obedience, and authority.

Sir Anth. Well, puppy?

Capt. Abs. Why, then, sir, the result of my reflec⚫

E